RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday called on Arab states to provide funds to implement a strategic plan to support Jerusalem at a summit in Saudi Arabia, Palestinian Authority media reported.

Abbas said Arab states must pay their quotas to sponsor projects outlined in the plan, which was agreed at previous Arab summits, Wafa reported.

"We began to embody the decision on the ground, and we're seeking at the same time to find an approach to end the current conflict," Abbas said at the Arab development conference in Riyadh.

"If the Israeli government chooses to keep expanding settlements we will start using all possible ways including going to international organizations," the president added.

Abbas, who leads Fatah, pledged to work "with sincerity and conviction" to end his party's rift with Hamas and to make national reconciliation a reality on the ground.

Reconciliation will be achieved by elections, he added.

He also reiterated that Palestinians were not a party to the Syrian conflict and called on "our brothers in Syria" to keep Palestinians out of the civil war.

Very good news - finally American and EI taxpayers can have a break and do not give palestinians money any more. Let them live on arab handouts. next step should be - stop financing UNRWA.

2 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

21/01/2013 22:30

I have to admit everybody in the photo looks good. Now, brushing that aside far as connecting it with what Abbas wants at their summit: It is utterly stupid of him to call for any Arab funding for Palestinian projects in Jerusalem if they're meant to enhance Palestinian presence/"control." We sure as hell won't allow them, period. We don't give a damn about embodying any decision on the ground and, no, nobody is trying to find an approach to end the conflict (more lying). Yes, we're (cont.)

3 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

21/01/2013 22:46

definitely expanding settlements despite int'l agencies. [By the way, those of us in the W. Bank are NOT setters anymore; we've BEEN there starting 46 years ago. If you STILL insist on calling those of us who live there settlers, I may as well call all of you who've been in your nation where you're a citizen if your family immigrated 2 or 3 generations ago, immigrants; and don't anybody start lecturing me (again) about how we're illegal ... I've heard that a million times so save your breath.]

4 ) Debs / UK

21/01/2013 23:26

This is a step in the right direction, Jerusalem is the heart of Palestine and must be saved from Israel's colonalist enterprise. The Zionists only want the eastern part of the city because of the money it generates from tourism.

5 ) shirleyS / australia

21/01/2013 23:54

you are not legal as you have not got the right to settle from the land owners and the state of Palestine taking land by force is illegal and has been since 1948 just like the golan heights you propose to own transporting ILLEGAL poopulation into occuppied country by occupier is illegal and your gov has helped and all building illegal and will be demolished including the wall andthis does not give up right of return from genuine refugees and all countries deport illegal immigrants

6 ) Rats / Yes You

22/01/2013 01:17

You're still and always will be a a thieving, manipulating, cheating, murdering, SETTLER, never an immigrant.. Feed yourself more Bull, go home to Europe, where they love you to death....

7 ) Outlier / USA

22/01/2013 01:18

Sadly, a non-starter. While Palestine remains within reach, anything other than a token "Palestinian" Jerusalem will never happen.

8 ) to 2&3 ) Yehuda Solomon / Big Mike

22/01/2013 02:32

No lecture just a question; How does it feel to live in the world recognised Sovereign State of Palestine ?

@ Reader--The PA is well aware that the resolution passed by the UNGA is nothing more than a collective opinion by the member states. The UNGA has no mandate,or authority to approve or create a new state, establish borders or change borders of sovereign nations. Any resolution of the UN GA is neither law nor enforceable by any world body, organization of state. A decision by the UNGA isn't worth the paper it's written on and is typically ignored by the parties involved and the rest of the world.

12 ) Rami / Palestine

22/01/2013 14:19

#2,3 whatever....the eternal troll of Ma'an News. Apparently your country is the only one in the world that believes that Jerusalem is an Israeli city. Its not, never was, and never will be. Throughout its history it was never, ever an Israeli city. It's not the "undisputed eternal capital of Israel" because eternity goes further than the meek 65 year existence of the Israeli state.

13 ) MEL / USA

22/01/2013 16:31

#11:Filipe"But what you must remember is that the UN is a tool of USG supremacism and gradually that tool is slipping OUT of USG control,as it should! The UNGA consensus MATTERS to our USG & American Zionists who abuse their POWER,money & pluralistic US TAX money,to defend OFFENSIVE,brutal,Judeo-Christian Zionism.The US,EU,UK underwriters of Israel's MORTGAGE,are more concerned with,&need,the GLOBAL CONSENSUS(UNGA/SC)more than they need belligerent Zionism(toilet paper)!PEOPLE POWER!

14 ) to 11 ) Filipe / Portugal / Big Mike

22/01/2013 16:34

UNGA Resolution 181 passed Nov 29,1947 that gave Israel recognized statehood also is a none binding resolution. contrary to your opinion, both Izrael and Palestinian Sovereign Statehood rest upon the the same UNGA resolution basis. The only difference is that Pals have no military power, like that of Izrael, to back up that recognised sovereignty.

15 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

22/01/2013 18:18

@ 4), No, Jerusalem (to us and that's all we consider important) is the heart of Israel permanently. Thanks for making me laugh like hell but if all we'd thought of was the tourism benefit we'd have hired a travel agency for public relations 46 damn years ago. @ 8), The same as before and, aside from the "overjoy" of the Palestinians/others by the U.N.-recognized statehood, that's the same way the Palestinians feel, too. Translation: No one over here feels a hell of a lot differently.(cont.)

16 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

22/01/2013 18:30

@ 10), No and neither are those of us in the W. Bank. Will never happen under any conditions. @ 11), I appreciate your points very much but, to be accurate, no, the UNGA resolution EXPLICITLY recognizing Palestinian nationhood IS very important as far as U.N., Palestinians and those nations who voted for it goes. It passed OVERWHELMINGLY. It was probably 1 of the most near-unanimously-passed UNGA resolutions IN U.N. history. It is definitely not being ignored by the parties or (cont.)

17 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

22/01/2013 18:52

the rest of the world. @ 12), I suppose you're right. All that Biblical history and reference about our King David making it our capital approx. 2000 years ago with our First and Second Temples being built there--after all, where did that huge "Western Wall" below the Haram-al-Sharif come from ???... Oh, yeah ... from the Romans to provide privacy and shade while bathing their naked butts behind it ... Sorry, forgot about all that--and our presence even beyond the 1st century ... all (cont.)

18 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

22/01/2013 18:58

that is falsehood, hoax, myth, lies, distortions of the truth, gross exaggerations, camel crap and total nonsense. Thanks for the education. I needed that.

19 ) Yehuda Solomon / Israel

22/01/2013 19:07

(Correction from above ... " ... King David making it our capital approx. 2000 years ago ... "; should be: 3000 years ago. His reign was after our King Saul, approx. 1000 B.C.E.)

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